Beginning in 1965, the head of the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice
began to change antitrust policy. How did antitrust policy change?
A) For the first time horizontal mergers were allowed – with government approval – and
vertical mergers were allowed without need for approval from the government.
B) For the first time concentration ratios were used to evaluate the degree of
competition in the industries of firms that proposed mergers.
C) The Division began to systematically consider the economic consequences of
proposed mergers.
D) Proposed mergers no longer needed the approval of the Federal Trade Commission
or the court system.
A constant cost, perfectly competitive market is in long-run equilibrium. At present,
there are 1,000 firms each producing 400 units of output. The price of the good is $60.
Now suppose there is a sudden increase in demand for the industry’s product which
causes the price of the good to rise to $64. In the new long-run equilibrium, how will
the average total cost of producing the good compare to what it was before the price of
the good rose?
A) The average total cost will be higher than it was before the price increase since the
increase in demand will drive up input prices.
B) The average total cost will be lower than it was before the price increase because of
economies of scale.
C) The average total cost will be higher than it was before the price increase because of
diseconomies of scale arising from the increased demand.
D) The average total cost will be the same as it was before the price increase.